Half Moon
1 High Street
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (Map it!)
Attendees: Jeffrey, Pat, Reid, Andrew, Shelley, Sylvia
Yep. We’re famous. Or at least on the road to fame. We chose Half Moon because we needed a nice venue for the photographer. “Photographer?” Why, I thought you’d never ask. Yes. The Journal News is running a story on us. Stay tuned!
(Just as a side note, don’t rely on the Saw Mill River Parkway if it rains the night before. We did, and we were detoured. It’s a good thing we left the house early.)
Half Moon is right over the train tracks in Dobbs Ferry. But it’s definitely not on the wrong side of the tracks. It’s a swanky place with amazing views of the Hudson and the Palisades. Dining outside would probably be an amazing time, but it was too windy the day we went, so we decided to go inside.
We all ordered our food and all was well, until the food actually came. Sylvia got a phone call from the photographer that she was running late, so we had to wait to eat our food. WHAT?! Well, we tried to wait. We wound up eating slowly. It all worked out, there was still plenty of food on our plates when the photographer arrived.
I ordered the Brioche French Toast. It came with all these little berries on it. It was fantastic. The outside was nice a firm while the inside was soft and perfectly cooked. It was really good.
After breakfast and our little photo shoot, the photographer told us to take some drinks. FREE DRINKS! I love me a bloody marry! That was good.
Overall, this place is worth at least one visit. It’s a bit pricey, but the food and view is worth at least one trip.
What I Had: Bananas Foster Pancakes, Double Smoked Bacon, Coffee
What It Cost: $21.75 plus tax and tip
Worth It: Yes for the pancakes, no for the bacon
The Rating: 4/5
The Details: Half Moon is a beautiful, spacious restaurant situated right on top of the Hudson River in Dobbs Ferry. The views are exquisite, but is the food?
After getting pulled over in Irvington on the way to the restaurant, I arrived a solid 15 minutes late to discover that my fellow WBC-ers had eaten most of the generous bread basket provided to every table before the meal. I still got a taste of a mini-scone (dry and unremarkable) and a mini-croissant (fluffy and pleasant).
For my entree, I ordered the Bananas Foster pancakes and a side of double smoked bacon. The pancakes were very good. There were three large, fluffy pancakes served with a generous portion of rum soaked bananas. The only complaint I have about the pancakes was the lack of that crispy edge you find on the best pancakes. I suspect Half Moon mixed their batter with a mixer rather than by hand, which can purge pancakes of the homemade feel the best ones have.
I have one other complaint: How in the world can you justify $7 for three strips of bacon? Sure it was good, but at that price, I expect my bacon to taste delicious, be covered in gold, dance a tango, and do my taxes. That price needs to come down to a more reasonable number, especially considering the very reasonable $12 mark for the pancakes.
The coffee was good, and the service was excellent (though I can’t help thinking that was all due to our new-found celebrity). All in all, I found Half Moon a pleasant dining experience with good food. I’d definitely go back, and if you haven’t been, you should check it out. Just make sure you factor it into your budget.
The Bottom Line: Go, but bring your checkbook.
The Case: Half Moon v. The Westchester Breakfast Club
The Venue: Waterfront right by the Dobbs Ferry Metro-North Station
The Facts: Let me start this review by gloating. I had recommended Half Moon to the WBC, and am very happy to see the positive reviews roll in. (Take note of the advantage of waiting over a week to write one’s own review; namely you get to see everyone else’s before you have to start writing.)
The quality of the venue and the food at Half Moon have been rightly and lavishly praised. Having been to Half Moon before, the quality of the brunch experience did not come as any surprise. The question that poses to me is whether the fact that I wasn’t surprised improved or detracted from the overall experience.
Much as I’d like to explore that question, I am pretty burned out right now and am having trouble seeing straight. Therefore, I’m going to stop writing this, and just spend a few minutes thinking about the free bread basket and delicious free Pina Colada I had a bit over a week ago at Half Moon, and smile.
The Verdict: Pina Colada.
What a beautiful location to enjoy a meal! The Half Moon resturant sits right on the Hudson river offering a gorgeous boat-deck view of the river, without all the swaying and nausea. Inside, the restaurant was dressed up like a boathouse with modern style; clean crisp lines, while maintaining exposed beams and cathedral ceilings. The waitstaff looked and acted like professionals.
The brunch menu had many good choices and the prices ranged from $14-$22 and did not include coffee or mimosas, although for just $15 more, you could get unlimited mimosas or bloody marys. I opted for the biscuits and gravy with 2 poached eggs and home fries. The biscuits and gravy were delicious and the poached eggs were perfectly poached. The potatoes were likewise perfectly cooked with an assortment of peppers and onions.
The great location, upscale decor and well prepared entrées make Half Moon a perfect place to impress friends and clients.
This past Sunday was a special occasion for the WBC. Was it our anniversary? No. Someone’s birthday? No. It was the day we were to be photographed for the newspaper. That’s right, the newspaper. You see, the WBC will be launched into our 15 minutes of fame thanks to an impending story about our little group set to run in The Journal News. I can’t wait. I’ve stocked up on new pairs of over sized sunglasses and chic hats so that I won’t be recognized when I’m jaunting around the county. Because you know, there are a lot of paparazzo lurking around just waiting to snap a photo of the latest It Girl (or Boy) of the WC.
So, we needed someplace classy in which to be photographed. Reid had mentioned Half Moon a while back, as he had gone there without the rest of the WBC for a family celebration. He enjoyed it and recommended it for our group. It seemed the perfect destination for our big photo-shoot. Half Moon is located right next to the Hudson River in Dobbs Ferry. It has a large outdoor patio for warmer weather dining. Sunday was still a bit chilly, though, and very windy (and I’d just had my hair made all pretty-like the day before in anticipation of being photographed; newly straightened hair and the wind just don’t go well together). So indoor dining it was, but that’s not a problem. Half Moon makes the most of its location, with floor-to-ceiling windows lining every wall, providing stunning views of the river and bathing diners in plenty of natural light. The interior is very large, open, airy, and bright. The decor is kept minimalist so that the main focus remains on the beautiful views.
It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten a NY brunch, so this morning I opted for the Bagel “All the Way”, which was a bagel with lox and whitefish salad, and the usual accompaniments of tomato, red onions, and lettuce (no capers, though). I also ordered a side of chicken apple sausage. Right after we ordered we got a phone call from the photographer; she said she was running late and asked us to wait to eat our food until she got there, so she could photograph the main event. I thought that wouldn’t be a problem, thinking that our large order paired with the general busy hustle and bustle of the restaurant that morning would mean that it would take awhile for our food to arrive. Wrong. Maybe I’m just used to suffering through some very long service as of late (see Chutney Masala and The Tavern), but it seemed that our meals at Half Moon arrived in record time. We all kind of stared at our food not quite sure of what to do. Reid looked like he was going to cry, so I advised him to just eat some of his salad. Some of the others didn’t want to wait and began picking at their food. I was so torn! Fortunately by the time I stopped hemming and hawing the photographer had arrived. She snapped some shots of us eating, promising not to take any embarrassing open mouth full of food photos.
Overall I was pleased with the quality of my food, although I have to say that the lox had a stronger fishy flavor than I prefer. The bagel was warm and perfectly balanced between a crispy outside and a soft, doughy inside. I didn’t have any of the whitefish salad and the only other person at the table I could convince to try some was Andrew; he did not care for it. Was the Bagel All the Way worth $17? I lean toward no. Upscale as Half Moon is, I think I preferred the lox I had at Terra Rustica and at our first visit to Flying Pig. The lox at both of those places was far less fishy than the lox I received this morning.
Now, the chicken apple sausage was really intriguing. It had a delicate sweet undertone, an almost citrus flavor. I’m not sure if the citrus flavor was actually infused into the sausage or was just the result of the slice of orange served on top of them. These sausages were much lighter and far less greasy than your average sausage. The three large sausages I received were definitely worth the $7 price tag.
The waitstaff brought us dessert menus immediately following our meals, without even asking if we wanted dessert. But the needn’t ask. Who am I to turn down dessert? After glancing over the menu I settled on the strawberry shortcake. While we waited for our desserts to arrive the photographer gathered us to take a couple of group photos. By this point we weren’t the only celebrities in the place, though, since Sunny the Clown had arrived to entertain the children at a large party in the back of the restaurant. But I didn’t see any photographer taking photos of Sunny, so take that, clown! Then we got some free drinks (the restaurant had set up a table full of food and drinks for the photographer to shoot). I selected something with the name “Half Moon” in it, which Reid (who not only passed the bar but also has a bar-tending license) informed me would actually be called a “madras”. It was delicious is all I can say; I think it had vodka, orange juice, and cranberry juice. Had I gotten this drink at the beginning of our meal instead of the end of it I probably would have finished it. But I erred on the conservative side; one WBC member getting a ticket this morning was enough. Desserts arrived and they looked glorious. My Half Moon something or other drink went perfectly with my strawberry shortcake. This was an interesting strawberry shortcake. Served between two large biscuits was a generous helping of sliced strawberries, blueberries, and the biggest dollop of fresh whipped cream you’ve ever seen. It was probably the kind of dessert that would have been good for two people to share. But I don’t share well with others.
Final punch to my wallet was $34. But I did take the second bread basket that they had brought to our table with me to go. They already serve them in those little to go boxes, why not take it? I don’t usually like spending this much for any meal, let alone brunch, but this was a special occasion and Half Moon is a beautiful restaurant. If I ever go again (good fancy date place, especially in the summertime!), I’d try something other than Bagel All the Way, but I would get the chicken apple sausage again and I’d share (or do my best to share) a strawberry shortcake. And I’d order a Half Moon madras thing at the start of my meal.
Located right along the Hudson River, the views from the floor to ceiling windows of Half Moon are memorizing. Even better, there is outdoor seating available for warmer days. The ambiance was nice and airy, while the service was attentive and the food for the most part was very good.
As we settled in at our table, a charming little box of mini pastries was presented. Free bread basket! One point for Half Moon! Inside this basket was an assortment of mini croissants, cinnamon rolls, muffins, a challah roll, and a couple of cranberry walnut rolls. Also inside were individual Philadelphia cream cheese packets and a very cute jam squeeze packet, but no butter. The pastries were delightful, especially the cinnamon rolls.
The coffee was pretty good. No complaints, and our cups were filled on a more or less regular basis. The water was also filled continually, and I loved the lowball glasses they used. I wonder where they got them…
That morning, I was torn between the Egg White Frittata and the Crew’s Ration. I wasn’t starving, but was in the mood for some variety. The Egg White Frittata was made with steamed vegetables and chopped herbs. Now, I love vegetables in all forms and cooked all ways, but for whatever reason this morning, the thought of steamed vegetables in a frittata didn’t fly with me. It sounded too bland. So, I went with the Crew’s Ration, which consisted of two eggs (sunny side up), two pancakes, country sausage, double smoked bacon, toast, and home fries. A little bit of all the basics.
The food was very enjoyable and well cooked for the most part. The sausages were plump, juicy, and well spiced. The bacon was crispy, and my two eggs were cooked perfectly, slightly underdone, just the way I like them. The home fries were chunks of red potatoes cooked with some red and green peppers. It lacked a good crunch, but the addition of the generously sized chunks of peppers made up for that. The pancakes were very good. They were large and fluffy and with a touch of maple syrup, were delightful. Unfortunately that was my first pancake; my second one was not cooked all the way through and the middle was still very much filled with the batter. Fortunately for Half Moon, I was too full at that point to eat it, so it didn’t matter in the end. They were lucky I ate the other one first, although I am a touch disappointed that I was even served a barely cooked pancake to begin with.
Since we are the WBC, what is breakfast without dessert? For dessert, I chose the Peach Blueberry Crumble, which is served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The dessert was more than enough to feed two people. I wasn’t too thrilled with how it came out. For starters, the crumble was really soggy and lacked any sort of crunch that would be expected. This may be due to the fact that for whatever reason, there was a superfluous amount of liquid (not ice cream melt) in the dish. The peaches were of the canned variety and I only saw one tiny blueberry present. Everything tasted good, but it didn’t meet the expectations that had been set given our main meals.
The czar says: Definitely on the top of my list for any special occasion meal during the warmer months. As nice as it was inside, I would definitely return to eat outside. The price point is a bit high, but the service, setting, and the quality of foods are worthy.
Mena
May 3, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Drool!
Free drinks a plus!
Pat, sorry about the bacon.
WBC groupie
August 2, 2011 at 10:38 am
Great place for dinner (albeit pricey) or for a free night of drinking, courtesy of Electra and TSI!!